THE MASKS.
"What are these,
So withered and so wild in their attire
That look not like th' inhabitants of earth
And yet are on't?"
--Macbeth.
"To the Devil's Punch Bowl," was the order given by Old Hurricane as he
followed the minister into the carriage. "And now, sir," he continued,
addressing his companion, "I think you had better repeat that part of
the church litany that prays to be delivered from 'battle, murder and
sudden death,' for if we should be so lucky as to escape Black Donald
and his gang, we shall have at least an equal chance of being upset in
the darkness of these dreadful mountains."
"A pair of saddle mules would have been a safer conveyance, certainly,"
said the minister.
Old Hurricane knew that, but, though a great sensualist, he was a brave
man, and so he had rather risk his life in a close carriage than suffer
cold upon a sure-footed mule's back.
Only by previous knowledge of the route could any one have told the way
the carriage went. Old Hurricane and the minister both knew that they
drove, lumbering, over the rough road leading by serpentine windings
down that rugged fall of ground to the river's bank, and that then,
turning to the left by a short bend, they passed in behind that range of
horseshoe rocks that sheltered Hurricane Hall--thus, as it were doubling
their own road. Beneath that range of rocks, and between it and another
range, there was an awful abyss or chasm of cleft, torn and jagged rocks
opening, as it were, from the bowels of the earth, in the shape of a
mammoth bowl, in the bottom of which, almost invisible from its great
depth, seethed and boiled a mass of dark water of what seemed to be a
lost river or a subterranean spring. This terrific phenomenon was called
the Devil's Punch Bowl.
Not far from the brink of this awful abyss, and close behind the
horseshoe range of rocks, stood a humble log-cabin, occupied by an old
free negress, who picked up a scanty living by telling fortunes and
showing the way to the Punch Bowl. Her cabin went by the name of the
Witch's Hut, or Old Hat's Cabin. A short distance from Hat's cabin the
road became impassable, and the travelers got out, and, preceded by the
coachman bearing the lantern, struggled along on foot through the
drifted snow and against the buffeting wind and sleet to where a faint
light guided them to the house.
The pastor knocked. The door was immediately opened by a negro, whose
sex from the strange anomalous costume it was difficult to guess. The
tall form was rigged out first in a long, red, cloth petticoat, above
which was buttoned a blue cloth surtout. A man's old black beaver hat
sat upon the strange head and completed this odd attire.
"Well, Hat, how is your patient?" inquired the pastor, as he entered
preceding the magistrate.
"You will see, sir," replied the old woman.
The two visitors looked around the dimly-lighted, miserable room, in one
corner of which stood a low bed, upon which lay extended the form of an
old, feeble and gray-haired woman.
"How are you, my poor soul, and what can I do for you now I am here?"
inquired Old Hurricane, who in the actual presence of suffering was not
utterly without pity.
"You are a magistrate?" inquired the dying woman.
"Yes, my poor soul."
"And qualified to administer an oath and take your deposition," said the
minister.
"Will it be legal--will it be evidence in a court of law?" asked the
woman, lifting her dim eyes to the major.
"Certainly, my poor soul--certainly," said the latter, who, by the way,
would have said anything to soothe her.
"Send every one but yourself from the room."
"What, my good soul, send the parson out in the storm? That will never
do! Won't it be just as well to let him go up in the corner yonder?"
"No! You will repent it unless this communication is strictly private."
"But, my good soul, if it is to be used in a court of law?"
"That will be according to your own discretion!"
"My dear parson," said Old Hurricane, going to the minister, "would you
be so good as to retire?"
"There is a fire in the woodshed, master," said Hat, leading the way.
"Now, my good soul, now! You want first to be put upon your oath?"
"Yes, sir."
The old man drew from his great-coat pocket a miniature copy of the
Scriptures, and with the usual formalities administered the oath.
"Now, then, my good soul, begin--'the truth, the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth,' you know. But first, your name?"
"Is it possible you don't know me, master?"
"Not I, in faith."
"For the love of heaven, look at me, and try to recollect me, sir! It is
necessary some one in authority should be able to know me," said the
woman, raising her haggard eyes to the face of her visitor.
The old man adjusted his spectacles and gave her a scrutinizing look,
exclaiming at intervals:
"Lord bless my soul, it is! it ain't! it must! it can't be! Granny
Grewell, the--the--the--midwife that disappeared from here some twelve
or thirteen years ago!"
"Yes, master, I am Nancy Grewell, the ladies' nurse, who vanished from
sight so mysteriously some thirteen years ago," replied the woman.
"Heaven help our hearts! And for what crime was it you ran away?
Come--make a clean breast of it, woman! You have nothing to fear in
doing so, for you are past the arm of earthly law now!"
"I know it, master."
"And the best way to prepare to meet the Divine Judge is to make all the
reparation that you can by a full confession!"
"I know it, sir--if I had committed a crime; but I have committed no
crime; neither did I run away."
"What? what? what? What was it, then? Remember, witness, you are on your
oath."
"I know that, sir, and I will tell the truth; but it must be in my own
way."
At this moment a violent blast of wind and hail roared down the mountain
side and rattled against the walls, shaking the witch's hut, as if it
would have shaken it about their ears.
It was a proper overture to the tale that was about to be told.
Conversation was impossible until the storm raved past and was heard
dying in deep, reverberating echoes from the depths of the Devil's Punch
Bowl.
"It is some thirteen years ago," began Granny Grewell, "upon just such a
night of storm as this, that I was mounted on my old mule Molly, with my
saddlebags full of dried yarbs and 'stilled waters and sich, as I allus
carried when I was out 'tendin' on the sick. I was on my way a-going to
see a lady as I was sent for to 'tend.
"Well, master, I'm not 'shamed to say, as I never was afraid of man,
beast, nor sperrit, and never stopped at going out all hours of the
night, through the most lonesome roads, if so be I was called upon to do
so. Still I must say that jest as me and Molly, my mule, got into that
deep, thick, lonesome woods as stands round the old Hidden House in the
hollow I did feel queerish; 'case it was the dead hour of the night, and
it was said how strange things were seen and hearn, yes, and done, too,
in that dark, deep, lonesome place! I seen how even my mule Molly felt
queer, too, by the way she stuck up her ears, stiff as quills. So,
partly to keep up my own spirits, and partly to 'courage her, says I,
'Molly,' says I, 'what are ye afeared on? Be a man, Molly!' But Molly
stepped out cautious and pricked up her long ears all the same.
"Well, master, it was so dark I couldn't see a yard past Molly's ears,
and the path was so narrow and the bushes so thick we could hardly get
along; and just as we came to the little creek, as they calls the Spout,
'cause the water jumps and jets along it till it empties into the Punch
Bowl, and just as Molly was cautiously putting her fore foot into the
water, out starts two men from the bushes and seized poor Molly's
bridle!"
"Good Heaven!" exclaimed Major Warfield.
"Well, master, before I could cry out, one of them willains seized me by
the scruff of my neck, and, with his other hand upon my mouth, he says:
"'Be silent, you old fool, or I'll blow your brains out!'
"And then, master, I saw for the first time that their faces were
covered over with black crape. I couldn't a-screamed if they'd let me!
for my breath was gone and my senses were going along with it from the
fear that was on me.
"'Don't struggle; come along quietly, and you shall not be hurt,' says
the man as had spoke before.
"Struggle! I couldn't a-struggled to a-saved my soul! I couldn't speak!
I couldn't breathe! I liked to have a-dropped right offen Molly's back.
One on 'em says, says he:
"'Give her some brandy!' And t'other takes out a flask and puts it to my
lips and says, says he:
"'Here, drink this.'
"Well, master, as he had me still by the scruff o' my neck I couldn't do
no other ways but open my mouth and drink it. And as soon as I took a
swallow my breath came back and my speech.
"'And oh, gentlemen,' says I, 'ef it's "your money or your life" you
mean, I hain't it about me! 'Deed, 'clare to the Lord-a-mighty, I
hain't! It's wrapped up in an old cotton glove in a hole in the
plastering in the chimney corner at home, and ef you'll spare my life
you can go there and get it,' says I.
"'You old blockhead!' says they, 'we want neither one nor t'other! Come
along quietly and you shall receive no harm. But at the first cry, or
attempt to escape--this shall stop you!" And with that the willain held
the mizzle of a pistil so nigh to my nose that I smelt brimstone, while
t'other one bound a silk hankercher round my eyes, and then took poor
Molly's bridle and led her along. I couldn't see, in course, and I
dassint breathe for fear o' the pistil. But I said my prayers to myself
all the time.
"Well, master, they led the mule on down the path until we comed to a
place wide enough to turn, when they turned us round and led us back
outen the wood, and then 'round and round, and up and down, and
crossways and lengthways, as ef they didn't want me to find where they
were taking me.
"Well, sir, when they'd walked about in this 'fused way, leadin' of the
mule about a mile, I knew we was in the woods again--the very same woods
and the very same path--I, knowed by the feel of the place and the sound
of the bushes as we hit up against them each side, and also by the
rumbling of the Spout as it rumbled along toward the Punch Bowl. We went
down and down and down, and lower and lower and lower until we got right
down in the bottom of that hollow.
"Then we stopped. A gate was opened. I put up my hand to raise the
hankerchief and see where I was; but just at that minute I felt the
mizzle o' the pistol like a ring of ice right agin my temple, and the
willain growling into my ear:
"'If you do----!'
"But I didn't--I dropped my hand down as if I had been shot, and afore I
had seen anything, either. So we went through the gate and up a gravelly
walk--I knew it by the crackling of the gravel under Molly's feet--and
stopped at a horse-block, where one o' them willains lifted me off. I
put up my hand agin.
"'Do if you dare!' says t'other one, with the mizzle o' the pistol at my
head.
"I dropped my hand like lead. So they led me on a little way, and then
up some steps. I counted them to myself as I went along. They were six.
You see, master, I took all this pains to know the house agin. Then they
opened a door that opened in the middle. Then they went along a passage
and up more stairs--there was ten and a turn, and then ten more. Then
along another passage, and up another flight of stairs just like the
first. Then along another passage and up a third flight of stairs. They
was alike.
"Well, sir, here we was at the top o' the house. One o' them willains
opened a door on the left side, and t'other said:
"'There--go in and do your duty!' and pushed me through the door and
shut and locked it on me. Good gracious, sir, how scared I was! I
slipped off the silk handkercher, and, 'feared as I was, I didn't forget
to put it in my bosom.
"Then I looked about me. Right afore me on the hearth was a little weeny
taper burning, that showed I was in a great big garret with sloping
walls. At one end two deep dormer windows and a black walnut bureau
standing between them. At t'other end a great tester bedstead with dark
curtains. There was a dark carpet on the floor. And with all there were
so many dark objects and so many shadows, and the little taper burned so
dimly that I could hardly tell t'other from which, or keep from breaking
my nose against things as I groped about.
"And what was I in this room for to do? I couldn't even form an idee.
But presently my blood ran cold to hear a groan from behind the
curtains! then another! and another! then a cry as of some child in
mortal agony, saying:
"'For the love of Heaven, save me!'
"I ran to the bed and dropped the curtains and liked to have fainted at
what I saw!"
"And what did you see?" asked the magistrate.
"Master, behind those dark curtains I saw a young creature tossing about
on the bed, flinging her hair and beautiful arms about and tearing
wildly at the fine lace that trimmed her night-dress. But, master, that
wasn't what almost made me faint--it was that her right hand was sewed
up in black crape, and her whole face and head completely covered with
black crape drawn down and fastened securely around her throat, leaving
only a small slit at the lips and nose to breathe through!"
"What! Take care, woman! Remember that you are upon your oath!" said the
magistrate.
"I know it, master. And as I hope to be forgiven, I am telling you the
truth!"
"Go on, then."
"Well, sir, she was a young creature, scarcely past childhood, if one
might judge by her small size and soft, rosy skin. I asked her to let me
take that black crape from her face and head, but she threw up her hands
and exclaimed:
"'Oh, no; no, no! for my life, no!'
"Well, master, I hardly know how to tell you what followed," said the
old woman, hesitating in embarrassment.
"Go right straight on like a car of Juggernaut, woman! Remember--the
whole truth!"
"Well, master, in the next two hours there were twins born in that
room--a boy and a girl; the boy was dead, the girl living. And all the
time I heard the measured tramping of one of them willains up and down
the passage outside of that room. Presently the steps stopped, and there
was a rap at the door. I went and listened, but did not open it.
"'Is it all over?' the voice asked.
"Before I could answer a cry from the bed caused me to look round. There
was the poor, masked mother stretching out her white arms toward me in
the most imploring way. I hastened back to her.
"'Tell him--no--no,' she said.
"'Have you got through?' asked the man at the door, rapping impatiently.
"'No, no,' said I, as directed.
"He resumed his tramping up and down, and I went back to my patient. She
beckoned me to come close, and whispered:
"'Save my child! The living one, I mean! Hide her! oh, hide her from
him! When he demands the babe, give him the poor little dead one--he
cannot hurt that! And he will not know there was another. Oh! hide and
save my child!'
"Master, I was used to queer doings, but this was a little the queerest.
But if I was to conceal that second child in order to save it, it was
necessary to stop its mouth, for it was squalling like a wild cat. So I
took a vial of paregoric from my pocket and give it a drop and it went
off to sleep like an angel. I wrapped it up warm and lay it along with
my shawl and bonnet in a dark corner. Just then the man rapped again.
"'Come in, master,' said I.
"'No, bring me the babe,' he said.
"I took up the dead infant. Its mother kissed its brow and dropped tears
upon its little cold face. And I carried it to the man outside.
"'Is it asleep?' the willain asked me.
"'Yes, master,' said I as I put it, well wrapped up, in his arms; 'very
sound aslep.'
"'So much the better,' said the knave, walking away.
"I bolted the door and went back to my patient. With her free hand she
seized mine and pressed it to her lips and then, holding up her left
hand, pointed to the wedding ring upon her third finger.
"'Draw it off and keep it,' she said; 'conceal the child under your
shawl and take her with you when you go! Save her and your fortune shall
be made.'
"I declare, master, I hadn't time to think, before I heard one of them
wretches rap at the door.
"'Come! Get ready to go,' he said.
"She also beckoned me. I hastened to her. With eager whispers and
imploring gestures she prayed me to take her ring and save her child.
"'But you,' said I, 'who is to attend to you?'
"'I do not know or care! Save her!'
"The rapping continued. I ran to the corner where I had left my things.
I put on my bonnet, made a sort of sling around my neck of the silk
handkercher, opened the large part of it like a hammock and laid the
little sleeping babe there. Then I folded my big shawl around my breast
and nobody any the wiser. The rapping was very impatient.
"'I am coming,' said I.
"'Remember!' whispered the poor girl.
"'I will,' said I, and went out and opened the door. There stood t'other
willain with his head covered with black crape. I dreamt of nothing but
black-headed demons for six months afterward.
"'Are you ready?' says he.
"'Yes, your worship,' says I.
"'Come along, then.'
"And, binding another silk hankercher round my eyes, he led me along.
"Instead of my mule, a carriage stood near the horse-block.
"'Get in,' says he, holding the pistil to my ears by way of an argument.
"I got in. He jumped up upon the driver's seat and we drove like the
wind. In another direction from that in which we come, in course, for
there was no carriage road there. The carriage whirled along at such a
rate it made me quite giddy. At last it stopped again. The man in the
mask got down and opened the door.
"'Where are you taking me?' says I.
"'Be quiet,' says he, 'or'----And with that he put the pistil to my
cheek, ordered me to get out, take the bandage from my eyes and walk
before him. I did so and saw dimly that we were in a part of the country
that I was never at before. We were in a dark road through a thick
forest. On the left side of the road in a clearing stood an old house; a
dim light was burning in a lower window.
"'Go on in there,' said the willain, putting the pistil to the back of
my head. As the door stood ajar I went in, to a narrow, dark passage,
the man all the time at my back. He opened a door on the left side and
made me go into a dark room. Just then the unfortunate child that had
been moving restlessly began to wail. Well it might, poor, starved
thing!
"'What's that?' says the miscreant under his breath and stopping short.
"'It ain't nothing, sir,' says I, and 'Hush-h-h' to the baby. But the
poor little wretch raised a squall.
"'What is the meaning of this? 'says he. 'Where did that child come
from? Why the demon don't you speak?' And with that he seized me again
by the scruff of the neck and shook me.
"'Oh, master, for the love of Heaven don't!' says I. 'This is only a
poor unfortnet infant as its parents wanted to get outen the way, and
hired me to take care on. And I have had it wrapped up under my shawl
all the time 'cept when I was in your house, when I put it to sleep in
the corner.'
"'Humph--and you had that child concealed under your shawl when I first
stopped you in the woods?'
"'In course, master,' says I.
"'Whose is it?'
"'Master,' says I, 'it's--it's a dead secret!' for I hadn't another lie
ready.
"He broke out into a rude, scornful laugh, and seemed not half to
believe me and yet not to care about questioning me too closely. He made
me sit down then in the dark, and went out and turned the key on me. I
wet my finger with the paregoric and put it to the baby's lips to quiet
its pains of hunger. Then I heard a whispering in the next room. Now my
eyesight never was good, but to make up for it I believe I had the
sharpest ears that ever was, and I don't think anybody could have heard
that whispering but me. I saw a little glimmer of light through the
chinks that showed me where the door was, and so I creeped up to it and
put my ear to the key-hole. Still they whispered so low that no ears
could o' heard them but my sharp ones. The first words I heard good was
a grumbling voice asking:
"'How old?'
"'Fifty--more or less, but strong, active, a good nurse and a very light
mulatto,' says my willain's voice.
"'Hum--too old,' says the other.
"'But I will throw the child in.'
"A low, crackling laugh the only answer.
"'You mean that would be only a bother. Well, I want to get rid of the
pair of them,' said my willain, 'so name the price you are willing to
give.'
"'Cap'n, you and me have had too many transactions together to make any
flummery about this. You want to get shet o' them pair. I hain't no
objections to turning an honest penny. So jest make out the papers--bill
o' sale o' the 'oman Kate, or whatsoever her name may be, and the child,
with any price you please, so it is only a make-believe price, and I'll
engage to take her away and make the most I can of them in the
South--that won't be much, seeing it's only an old 'oman and
child--scarcely a fair profit on the expense o' takin' of her out. Now,
as money's no object to you, Cap'n----'
"'Very well; have your own way; only don't let that woman escape and
return, for if you do----'
"'I understand, Cap'n; but I reckon you needn't threaten, for if you
could blow me--why, I would return you the same favor,' said the other,
raising his voice and laughing aloud.
"'Be quiet, fool, or come away farther--here.' And the two willains
moved out of even my hearing.
"' I should o' been uneasy, master, if it hadn't been the 'oman they
were talking about was named Kate, and that wasn't my name, which were
well beknown to be Nancy.'
"Presently I heard the carriage drive away. And almost 'mediately after
the door was unlocked, and a great, big, black-bearded and black-headed
beast of a ruffian came in, and says he:
"'Well, my woman, have you had any supper?'
"'No,' said I, 'I hain't; and ef I'm to stay here any length of time I'd
be obleeged to you to let me have some hot water and milk to make pap
for this perishing baby.'
"'Follow me,' says he.
"And he took me into the kitchen at the back of the house, where there
was a fire in the fireplace and a cupboard with all that I needed. Well,
sir, not to tire you, I made a nursing-bottle for the baby and fed it.
And then I got something for my own supper, or, rather, breakfast, for
it was now near the dawn of day. Well, sir, I thought I would try to get
out and look about myself to see what the neighborhood looked like by
daylight, but when I tried the door I found myself locked up a close
prisoner. I looked out of the window and saw nothing but a little back
yard, closed in by the woods. I tried to raise the sash, but it was
nailed down. The black-headed monster came in just about that minute,
and seeing what I was a-doing of, says he:
"'Stop that!'
"'What am I stopped here for?' says I; 'a free 'oman,' says I, a-'vented
of going about her own business?' says I.
"But he only laughed a loud, crackling, scornful laugh, and went out,
turning the key after him.
"A little after sunrise an old, dried-up, spiteful looking hag of a
woman came in and began to get breakfast.
"'What am I kept here for?' says I to her.
"But she took no notice at all; nor could I get so much as a single word
outen her. In fact, master, the little 'oman was deaf an' dumb.
"Well, sir, to be short, I was kept in that place all day long, and when
night come I was druv into a shay at the point of the pistil, and
rattled along as fast as the horses could gallop over a road as I knew
nothing of. We changed horses wunst or twict, and just about the dawn of
day we come to a broad river with a vessel laying to, not far from the
shore.
"As soon as the shay druv down on the sands, the willain as had run away
with me puts a pipe to his willainous mouth and blows like mad. Somebody
else blowed back from the wessel. Then a boat was put off and rowed
ashore. I was forced to get into it, and was follered by the willain. We
was rowed to the wessel, and I was druv up the ladder on to the decks.
And there, master, right afore my own looking eyes, me and the baby was
traded off to the captain! It was no use for me to 'splain or
'spostulate. I wasn't b'lieved. The willain as had stole me got back
into the boat and went ashore, and I saw him get into the shay and drive
away. It was no use for me to howl and cry, though I did both, for I
couldn't even hear myself for the swearing of the captain and the noise
of the crew, as they was a gettin' of the wessel under way. Well, sir,
we sailed down that river and out to sea.
"Now, sir, come a strange providence, which the very thoughts of it
might convert a heathen! We had been to sea about five days when a
dreadful storm riz. Oh, marster! the inky blackness of the sky, the
roaring of the wind, the raging of the sea, the leaping of the waves and
the rocking of that wessel--and every once in a while sea and ship all
ablaze with the blinding lightning--was a thing to see, not to hear tell
of! I tell you, marster, that looked like the wrath of God! And then the
cursing and swearing and bawling of the captain and the crew, as they
were a-takin' in of sail, was enough to raise one's hair on their head!
I hugged the baby to my breast, and went to praying as hard as ever I
could pray.
"Presently I felt an awful shock, as if heaven an' earth had come
together, and then everybody screaming, 'She's struck! She's struck!' I
felt the wessel trembling like a live creetur, and the water a-pouring
in everywhere. I hugged the babe and scrambled up the companionway to
the deck. It was pitch dark, and I heard every man rushing toward one
side of the wessel.
"A flash of lightning that made everything as bright as day again showed
me that they were all taking to the boat. I rushed after, calling to
them to save me and the baby. But no one seemed to hear me; they were
all too busy trying to save themselves and keep others out of the boat,
and cursing and swearing and hollering that there was no more room, that
the boat would be swamped, and so on. The end was, that all who could
crowd into the boat did so. And me and the baby and a poor sailor lad
and the black cook were left behind to perish.
"But, marster, as it turned out, we as was left to die were the only
ones saved. We watched after that boat with longing eyes, though we
could only see it when the lightning flashed. And every time we saw it
it was farther off. At last, marster, a flash of lightning showed us the
boat as far off as ever we could see her, capsized and beaten hither and
thither by the wild waves--its crew had perished.
"Marster, as soon as the sea had swallowed up that wicked captain and
crew the wind died away, the waves fell and the storm lulled--just as if
it had done what it was sent to do and was satisfied. The wreck--where
we poor forlorn ones stood--the wreck that had shivered and trembled
with every wave that struck it,--until we had feared it would break up
every minute, became still and firm on its sand-bar, as a house on dry
land.
"Daylight came at last. And a little after sunrise we saw a sail bearing
down upon us. We could not signal the sail, but by the mercy of
Providence, she saw us and lay to, and sent off a boat and picked us up
and took us on board--me and the baby and the cook and the sailor lad.
"It was a foreign wessel, and we could not understand a word they said,
nor they us. All we could do was by signs. But they were very good to
us--dried our clothes and gave us breakfast and made us lie down and
rest, and then put about and continued their course. The sailor
lad--Herbert Greyson--soon found out and told me they were bound for New
York. And, in fact, marster, in about ten days we made that port.
"When the ship anchored below the Battery, the officers and passengers
made me up a little bundle of clothes and a little purse of money and
put me ashore, and there I was in a strange city, so bewildered I didn't
know which way to turn. While I was a-standing there, in danger of being
run over by the omnibuses, the sailor boy came to my side and told me
that he and the cook was gwine to engage on board of another 'Merican
wessel, and axed me what I was gwine to do. I told him how I didn't know
nothing at all 'bout sea sarvice, and so I didn't know what I should do.
Then he said he'd show me where I could go and stay all night, and so he
took me into a little by-street, to a poor-looking house, where the
people took lodgers, and there he left me to go aboard the ship. As he
went away he advised me to take care of my money and try to get a
servant's place.
"Well, marster, I ain't a gwine to bother you with telling you of how I
toiled and struggled along in that great city--first living out as a
servant, and afterward renting a room and taking in washing and
ironing--ay! how I toiled and struggled--for--ten--long--years, hoping
for the time to come when I should be able to return to this
neighborhood, where I was known, and expose the evil deeds of them
willains. And for this cause I lived on, toiling and struggling and
laying up money penny by penny. Sometimes I was fool enough to tell my
story in the hopes of getting pity and help--but telling my story always
made it worse for me! some thought me crazy and others thought me
deceitful, which is not to be wondered at, for I was a stranger and my
adventures were, indeed, beyond belief.
"No one ever helped me but the lad Herbert Greyson. W'enver he came from
sea he sought me out and made a little present to me or Cap.
"Cap, marster, was Capitola, the child. The reason I gave her that name
was because on that ring I had drawn from the masked mother's hand were
the two names--Eugene--Capitola.
"Well, marster, the last time Herbert Greyson came home he gave me five
dollars, and that, with what I had saved, was enough to pay my passage
to Norfolk.
"I left my little Cap in the care of the people of the house--she was
big enough to pay for her keep in work--and I took passage for Norfolk.
When I got there I fell ill, spent all my money, and was at last taken
to the poor-house. Six months passed away before I was discharged, and
then six months more before I had earned and saved money enough to pay
my way on here.
"I reached here three days ago and found a wheat field growing where my
cottage fire used to burn, and all my old cronies dead, all except Old
Hat, who has received and given me shelter. Sir, my story is done--make
what you can of it," said the invalid, sinking down in her bed as if
utterly exhausted.
Old Hurricane, whose countenance had expressed emotions as powerful as
they were various while listening to this tale, now arose, stepped
cautiously to the door, drew the bolt, and, coming back, bent his head
and asked:
"What more of the child?"
"Cap, sir? I have not heard a word of Cap since I left her to try to
find out her friends. But any one interested in her might inquire for
her at Mrs. Simmons', laundress, No. 8 Rag Alley."
"You say the names upon that ring were Eugene--Capitola?"
"Yes, sir, they were."
"Have you that ring about you?"
"No, marster. I thought it was best in case of accidents to leave it
with the child."
"Have you told her any part of this strange history?"
"No, marster, nor hinted at it; she was too young for such a
confidence."
"You were right. Had she any mark about her person by which she could be
identified?"
"Yes, marster, a very strange one. In the middle of her left palm was
the perfect image of a crimson hand, about half an inch in length. There
was also another. Henry Greyson, to please me, marked upon her forearm,
in India ink, her name and birthday--'Capitola, Oct. 31st, 1832.'"
"Right! Now tell me, my good soul, do you know, from what you were able
to observe, what house that was where Capitola was born?"
"I am on my oath! No, sir; I do not know, but----"
"You suspect?"
The woman nodded.
"It was----" said old Hurricane, stooping and whispering a name that was
heard by no one but the sick woman.
She nodded again, with a look of intense meaning.
"Does your old hostess here, Hat, know or suspect anything of this
story?" inquired Major Warfield.
"Not a word! No soul but yourself has heard it!"
"That is right! Still be discreet! If you would have the wicked punished
and the innocent protected, be silent and wary. Have no anxiety about
the girl. What man can do for her will I do and quickly! And now, good
creature, day is actually dawning. You must seek repose. And I must call
the parson in and return home. I will send Mrs. Condiment over with
food, wine, medicine, clothing and every comfort that your condition
requires," said Old Hurricane, rising and calling in the clergyman, with
whom he soon after left the hut for home.
They reached Hurricane Hall in time for an early breakfast, which the
astonished housekeeper had prepared, and for which their night's
adventures had certainly given them a good appetite.
Major Warfield kept his word, and as soon as breakfast was over he
dispatched Mrs. Condiment with a carriage filled with provisions for the
sick woman. But they were not needed. In a couple of hours the
housekeeper returned with the intelligence that the old nurse was dead.
The false strength of mental excitement that had enabled her to tell so
long and dreadful a tale had been the last flaring up of the flame of
life that almost immediately went out.
"I am not sorry, upon the whole, for now I shall have the game in my own
hands!" muttered Old Hurricane to himself. "Ah! Gabrielle Le Noir,
better you had cast yourself down from the highest rock of this range
and been dashed to pieces below, than have thus fallen into my power!"